Education Credits

Course Length

AWC Publications-Related Courses

This course will provide a brief overview of code and standards development to give context to current building code allowances and design procedures as well as future code pursuits. Topics will include recent International Code Council (ICC) and American Wood Council efforts related to code advancement, and the latest changes to the 2012 International Building Code (IBC), 2012 National Design Specification (NDS) for Wood Construction and 2008 Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS).

This continuing education course provides an overview of seismic-resistive design issues in wood-frame buildings with a focus on compliance with the 2012 International Building Code(IBC) and American Society of Civil Engineers/Structural Engineering Institute Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures (ASCE 7-10). The information on code-conforming wood design contained in this course is based on the American Wood Council’s (AWC’s) 2012 National Design Specification® (NDS®) for Wood Construction, and 2008 Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS). The NDS and SDPWS are adopted by reference in the 2012 IBC.

Learning Objectives

After reading this article, you should be able to:

Discuss seismic-resistive design requirements for wood-frame buildings with a focus on compliance with the 2012 IBC and ASCE 7-10.

Explain the analysis procedure commonly used for determining seismic design loads of wood-frame buildings in the U.S.

Describe the two most common wood-frame seismic force-resisting systems.

Describe the role of structural configuration and redundancy in seismic design.

This presentation will focus on the engineered design of large wood panelized roof diaphragms in tilt-up concrete and masonry wall buildings, with focus on design requirements for strength, stiffness, and proper development and resistance of wall anchorage forces. A historical perspective of how past seismic experience with this building type has influenced today's building code provides a good perspective for the participant to apply the current provisions of ASCE 7-10, 2012 NDS and 2008 SDPWS. Various design illustrations and examples of high load wood structural panel diaphragms, wall anchorage, subdiaphragms, continuity cross ties, chords and collectors will be shown.

This webinar is intended for practicing engineers and undergraduate and graduate engineering students. After attending, the participant should be able to:

Identify the characteristics of a panelized wood roof diaphragm.

Apply requirements for wall anchorage forces including proper detailing for distribution of these forces into the diaphragm.

Utilize subdiaphragms as a tool to create an efficient load path for wall anchorage forces.

Design wood diaphragms and their chords and collectors for seismic forces.

AWC's National Design Specification (NDS) for Wood Construction 2012 is the dual format Allowable Stress Design (ASD) and Load Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) document referenced in US building codes and used to design wood structures worldwide. Participants will learn about changes in the 2012 NDS and Supplement relative to previous editions and gain an overview of the standard.

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this eCourse, you will be knowledgeable of:

Be able to understand Load Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) and how it applies to wood structural design.

Be familiar with the significant changes between the 2005 and 2012 NDS and supplement.

Be able to identify the similarities and differences with respect to ASD, design values, and behavioral equations.

AWC's 2012 National Design Specification (NDS) for Wood Construction is referenced in US building codes and used to design wood structures worldwide. This article will highlight the changes in the 2012 NDS and 2012 NDS Supplement relative to previous editions and provide an overview of the standard.

Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, participants will:

Be familiar with the significant changes between the 2005 and 2012 NDS and NDS Supplement.

Be aware of the updated language relating to glued laminated timber (glulam) and new glulam adjustment factors.